Well then, write up a protocol on what works, telling us what doesn't work is completely useless.
Intensive therapy not necessarily best in treating loss of language, communication in early recovery after stroke: Study
Intensive therapy not necessarily best in treating loss of language, communication in early recovery after stroke: Study
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Joondalup [Australia], September 7 (ANI): New Edith Cowan
University research has found that intensive therapy is not necessarily
best when it comes to treating the loss of language and communication in
early recovery after a stroke.
The research, published in the
International Journal of Stroke, found that unlike physical and motor
skill rehabilitation, recovering lost language caused by a condition
known as aphasia after stroke is a marathon, not a sprint. It also
showed that early intervention is crucial.
Lead author, Associate
Professor Erin Godecke from ECU's School of Medical and Health Sciences,
said the findings have important implications for the treatment of
aphasia because they mean service delivery options are likely to change.
"Previously people with aphasia got the majority of their therapy in the first 6-8 weeks after stroke," Professor Godecke said.
"Our
research shows that there is no benefit to this. It is likely that the
same therapy could be spread over a longer period to enhance recovery,
rather than getting a burst at the start and very little over the next
months or years," she said.
Aphasia is a neurological disorder
affecting spoken language, comprehension, reading and writing. It
affects one-third of around 17 million people worldwide who experience a
stroke each year and is treated with speech therapy.
Early care is vital, but not intensity.
Professor
Godecke said aphasia therapy and early intervention are vitally
important for recovery outcomes after stroke. However, increasing the
intensity of the treatment doesn't equate to better results.
"We
found that when we provided early aphasia therapy people had a massive
increase in their ability to communicate at 12 and 26 weeks after their
stroke. They could talk better and had less difficulty finding and using
the right words.
"Importantly though, we also found that if we
provided around 10 hours of therapy per week versus nearly 23 hours a
week the results weren't any different. We didn't see any harm, but we
didn't see any benefit," Professor Godecke said.
Language recovery is different from motor recovery
Professor Godecke said the way people recover motor skills after a stroke is different to how they regain language.
"We
tend to believe that more intensive is always better. However, we're
beginning to see data emerge to show us that language recovery might
behave a little differently to motor recovery functions such as walking,
moving your arm or sitting up," she said.
"We don't need quite as
intensive a regimen for language as we do for walking recovery. We might
need the same amount of treatment, just spread over a longer period."
Professor
Godecke said the difficulty level, or intensity, of the aphasia
therapy, needs to be tailored to what the person can tolerate.
"Because
language is a higher-order function and it involves more thinking time
and cognitive skill, having breaks between sessions may help consolidate
learning," Professor Godecke said.
"It's akin to running on a treadmill - you can only run on the treadmill if you can walk.
"There's
no benefit having someone run at full speed when you can have them run
at a moderate pace, get the learning they need, retain it for longer and
build on it," she said.
The Very Early Rehabilitation for Speech
(VERSE) study at ECU is the first international aphasia trial. The study
aimed to determine whether intensive aphasia therapy, beginning within
14 days after stroke, improved communication recovery compared to usual
care.
Researchers recruited 246 participants with aphasia after
stroke from 17 acute-care hospitals across Australia and New Zealand.
Participants either received the usual level of aphasia therapy or one
of two higher intensity regimens.
The ECU study found early intensive
aphasia therapy did not improve communication recovery within 12 weeks
post-stroke compared to usual care. (ANI)
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article above are those of the authors' and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of this publishing house. Unless otherwise noted, the author is writing in his/her personal capacity. They are not intended and should not be thought to represent official ideas, attitudes, or policies of any agency or institution.
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